Three-day kitchen renovation in Ormeau, Queensland

Having served the family for more than 30 years, the kitchen at 82-year-old Hilda Wren’s home, in Ormeau, Queensland, was tired, worn out and in need of some attention. Whilst a clean sweep of the whole lot seemed the obvious way forward, the kitchen was the keeper of many memories and sentiments that only time can generate. The daily grind of life in the kitchen in bygone years was still evident and Hilda was not ready to let go of all those treasured memories. The tiled splash back and shelf were installed by her late husband of 63 years, Ron Wren and Hilda was keen to incorporate his handiwork into her new kitchen.
In keeping with the well-practiced, Refresh Renovations process, Rachel Whitford, Home Renovation Specialist and Director, set about developing and understanding the brief and was immediately able to recognise the intangibles of this project which were just as important as the bench top and joinery of the new design. Ensuring that Hilda could still keep Ron’s tiles and shelf was an important element of the brief.
“During the concept and feasibility phase, we weighed up a number of options and decided that the best way to tackle this one was with an Amorini kitchen. This meant we could deliver a high quality kitchen and still keep the budget in check,” said Rachel.

The benefits of working with a Refresh Renovations franchise

“Working with Refresh Renovations is sensational,” said Chris Bosley of Amorini. “We have developed a great relationship with a number of the Refresh franchisees around Australia and we work with them to tailor our offerings to meet the needs or requirements of each project,” Chris added.

Designing the new kitchen

Amorini were able to provide the working drawings for the design and supply of the high-quality kitchen to the required specifications. An efficient work triangle between sink, stove and refrigerator means that Hilda can now move comfortably around the L-shaped kitchen and has easy access to all that she needs within her work zone. The oven was installed at waist height to eliminate the need for bending and lifting, particularly when using large heavy baking dishes. A pull out drawer below the oven is now a convenient home for pots and pans with spacious soft close drawers providing ample storage for kitchen utensils.
“For the build phase of the project, we used specialist kitchen installation services. By providing a fixed price quotation and scope of works, the costs were clear from the outset and were kept within the tight budget,” said Rachel.
As one of the main contractors for Amorini, Tradepro have a well-established business and can draw on past experience to deal with the challenges that are often present when renovating old houses. The main issue for consideration here was the retention of Ron’s tiled splash back.
“The tiles were originally installed in line with the old bench top, which was not level. As a result, the level of the new cabinetry and bench top had to be adjusted to fit during the installation, to deliver an outcome as near to perfect as possible, without compromising the overall finish and functionality of the kitchen,” said Paul Nicholls, Installation Manager.

“Everything is possible. It depends on how you look at a project and where you look at it from. If we can figure out a way around a problem, we can fix it quick smart and give the customer what they need,” added Paul.

Installing the new kitchen

A hardwearing and durable, white Mirostone benchtop was installed on top of the Amorini Shaker-style cabinetry. Made from modified acrylic, this 20mm thick solid-surface benchtop has all the beauty and feel of natural stone at a more cost-effective price than other stone substitutes in the market. This was an important consideration when it came to keeping the project within the set budget.
A flush line single sink with double drainer and mixer tap was sourced from Harvey Norman Commercial Division.
The footprint of the new kitchen was not an exact match for the old layout, so the old vinyl flooring had to be replaced. “We chose a similar timber look vinyl floor plank, in a darker colour than the original floor. This provides a nice contrast with the freshly painted white walls and the new kitchen cabinetry and it highlights the existing timber features in the kitchen and adjoining lounge room,” explained Rachel. 
The old kitchen was dismantled and the new kitchen installed in just 3 days. The end result is a more functional, larger looking kitchen, one that was delivered on time, within budget and still holds the sentiments and memories of Hilda and Ron’s long life together.

Have a look at another Refresh case study in Brisbane: Functional kitchen renovation in Brisbane.

The focus of Refresh Renovations is on delivering excellent customer service and value by incorporating design and using world class systems and processes. If you're thinking of renovating or looking for a builder, talk to Refresh at 1800 33 60 33 or enquire online.